Thursday, January 12, 2006

Fondue

Speaking of kids eating vegetables, here's another great way to make veggies fun for kids: Lunch Box Fondue. In fact, this was Little shmoo's special request for today; he saw the fresh Brussels sprouts at the supermarket and begged me to make him fondue. "Weelll...I guess I could make you a giant heap of vegetables for lunch, but only if you're really good!" Hee. So, fondue in a thermos with apple chunks, new potatoes, steamed green beans, baby carrots, Brussells sprouts, and cauliflower for dipping. A small piece of sweet dark chocolate is alongside for dessert.Verdict: I sat next to him grading papers while he ate. "This is fondue!" he boasted, and Julia came over and bragged that she could eat a whole bowl of peas. Yes, vegetables are cool! The sprouts were first to go, of course, then the green beans got rave reviews. The cauliflower fell off the fondue fork but was rescued and eaten with his fingers, then he finished off all the carrots, apple chunks, and all but three bites of potato. "Whew, full!" 5 stars.

27 comments:

I just came across this site today, and I'm loving it! You have so many great ideas that I'm going to try on my 6 year-old (sadly, we're recent converts so she's not adapting too well). I know you don't often post recipes, but I'd love to have the one for fondue! My daughter has always loved fondue, well...anything that can be dipped really, so it would be much appreciated :)-Jess

Hi! I found your blog from a link on a post from a Yahoo Groups list I belong to. Our family is also vegan/vegetarian (depending upon the family member and the day) and DH is also gluten-free. Our 'kids' are both students at CBC and were raised on a plant-based diet --- no meat ever. I was excited to hear that you are from Tri Cities! We are too! So nice to meet you! Thanks for a great blog --- I'll visit again soon.

Hey, anonymous, welcome! If you're in the Tri-Cities, check out our local veggie group: http://www.tcveg.org. We're having a free potluck and movie night this Saturday ("Maximum Nutrition" by Dr. Michael Greger).

I recently found you blog and just love your lunchbox ideas and consistency to health! This fondue may do the trick for my picky ones to eat their veggies. I will have to try it! Thanks for a great daily read!

It's a private Catholic school, but not Montessori. Since I'm a stay-at-home and shmoo is my only child, I volunteered to come in once a week if they needed a class helper. I don't do anything much, just walk around and help the students or decorate the bulletin board.

It's been entertaining and eye-opening. I have no idea how teachers manage to do it all, keep everything under control, and not lose their minds!

Okay, I have no kid, but I am thinking, what about cutting veggies into interesting shapes, like with tiny cookie cutters, think that would interest them? Carrots, cucumbers, radishes, etc. A lot of waste, but you can use the rest for soup. You could make a respectable dinosaur out of carrots sliced lengthwise.

I made this today for lunch and am planning on using the leftovers as a cheese sauce over vegetables and whole wheat pasta. Thank you for giving me a new recipe to add to my repertoire.I am so pleased with how the fondue turned out that I am going to try the fishies this weekend.

It's a good thing it's a "private Catholic school" because I can just imagine the zero tolerance bureaucratic education administration drones in a public school calling the police because the fondue skewer coupld be considered a dangerous weapon under the school system's "zero tolerance for weapons in this post-Columbine world." (Well, they have to do that because "It's policy" and zero tolerance means they have managed to forbid themselves from using common sense and good judgement. Stay with the small Catholic school!

Ok, I know this is really late... being that it is now April, but I just stumbled onto your site. Thank goodness, because this recipe (for the fondue) was so fabulous! All four of my kids, my dh and I loved it. It will now be our Sunday dinner. We dipped homemade bread, apples, slightly steamed carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and steamed potatoes. It was all gone!This site is so great. We have just recently went Vegan. So many great ideas. Later this week we will try the "fish" sticks and I am making empanadas tomorrow! : )Thank you so much!Heather